Worth a Thousand Words
by Addicteddict
Summary: After the death of Lily, Severus secretly promised that he would never again get tangled in the dangerous web that is love. How will he react when a new student unexpectedly comes along? Can you really love someone with such flaws? Severus/OC Rated M!
1. The Power of Words

**Disclaimer: **As usual a disclaimer is necessarily! I donnot own any characters or anything from the wonderful world of Harry Potter. I merely write for my own pleasure and does not earn money on my stories! Hope you all will find this story as interesting to read as I do writing it! Here's the prologue only, and please, bear over with me, I'm still very new to this, and english is not my main language! :) But hope you all enjoy it!

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><p><strong>Prologue - <strong>**The Power of Words**

The snowfall had begun to increase as Severus Snape walked through the cold streets of Hogsmeade. After running the errands planned for today, Severus was ready to return to his home at Spinners End. Apparating would have been an option, but there was something so calm about wandering around the streets after the shops had closed when nearly all noisy people had gone. As a result, he secretly decided to do something he usually wouldn't: to go for a walk before he would return to home.

The end of the summer crept up on him, and days of teaching the same subject, the same potions over and over again, approached. He loved his job and was very passionate about teaching, but every year seemed to develop into the same thing, the same routines. He knew all of his old students inside and out, all of them equally bad at potions. There was nothing in his life he was looking forward to anymore, not even when summer once again sneaked up on him. He knew that after each school year he would return to his house at Spinners End, doing the exact same things as he did the summer before, simply rooted to his routines. Perhaps it would be enjoyable if something new would happen, if something different could occur.

But this, he enjoyed. Simply walking around, surrounded by nature's hushed noises, felt so soothing that it was nearly unimaginable. The howling sound of the cold winter air wafting gently in his environs and the creaking sound of the snow underneath his winter boots sounded so peaceful and mild. It was beyond his belief that something as simple as this could be sensed in such a calm way, putting his stressed mind at ease.

He took a deep breath, inhaling the frosty, wintry weather before he exhaled again through his now enlarged nostrils. He fixed the black scarf around his neck before he pulled up a bit in his dark gray – almost black – trench coat. The more the evening slithered its way over Hogsmeade, the more the freezing temperature began to drop. The lampposts along the sidewalk began to enlighten the outdoors even though the dark had not yet entirely taken over.

It was about time to head back to Spinners End, and the thought of a good cup of warm tea, while he could lean back and read the new book he had bought from Tomes and Scrolls, sounded like the perfect way to end his evening.

As he made it to his left and strode down an almost empty path, he spotted something with his eye that he found a rare sight. A silhouette of a person sitting in the snow, wrapped in old clothes and blankets from top to toe, with a hat and sign placed in front of it. As he made his way through the passage and nearly passed the person, he spotted a beautiful handwriting upon the sign: "_Lost my family__; Unable to work, unable to ask for help... Will play for a single Knut or two."_

For a second, Severus gazed around. The few people walking down the very same road did not seem to even pay attention to the person sitting in the snow. To them, the outlaw was merely invisible, pretending that he did not sit there, begging for help. The thought made Severus snort slightly. Normally, he would have been the same, normally he wouldn't have cared, and he would stride by as everyone else not giving the individual a second glance. But today was different. Today, Severus stopped and paid attention to the things he would normally have ignored. He knew that as soon as he left Hogsmeade he would go back to his aged habits, seizing the days forward as he had done for so many years.

Today, he wanted to do something different.

From his pocket, he grabbed a little black pouch; he opened it and found a couple of coins left. Pouring every last Sickle and Knut into his hand, he put them into the little hat placed in front of the person. He stared at the individual as it lowered its head in gratitude. With frozen but fine looking female hands, the person grabbed a beautiful silver flute from underneath the many layers of blankets. With her nearly blue hands she brought the flute up to her face that was yet still hidden underneath the many layers.

Within a mere second, she began playing the most beautiful melody that Severus had heard in a long time. Every note was gently caressed with perfection. The song sounded familiar to him, as if it reminded him of the lullabies his mother used to sing to him as a child. Turning his attention towards the passers, they continued walking along, shutting their minds and made sure that the outlaw remained invisible. Not a single one halted to listen to the sweet tunes created from mere blows into her flute.

Turning back to the woman, he paid full attention to the tune worthy of a Goddess. Not even the power of words could describe a melody as beautiful and sad as this. It almost seemed a shame as the song ultimately approached the ending and, yet again, silence occurred. Severus' cold and seemingly careless eyes scanned his surroundings; the few people who had been on the very same street, had left.

The woman lowered her head gratefully to thank the patient man for his time. Grabbing the hat, she pulled it gently into her body, burying it underneath the pile of cloth.

Feeling his old self, Severus returned his pouch back into his pocket, before he continued walking onwards without a single word spoken.

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><p>Hope you all enjoyed the prologue. :) Wonder what's with that woman? find out later! The story takes places before Harry Potter starts Hogwarts. Presenting the theme of the story inhere, so you'll all see how it goes once the first chapter comes up! Let me know what you think! Let me know if you're interested to read more ;)<p>

******Edit: **For those of you interested; The song played on the flute is one of my top favourite melodies by; Michael Ortega - It's hard to say goodbye. .com/watch?v=3YMsy2_fyEE - I imagined a flute version of this when I wrote it :)

A BIG AND HUGE THANKS TO MY BETA READER NAG !Who's been awesome and very supportive of this! Thank you!


	2. Silence is Golden

Thank you everyone for review the prologue! I'm happy to announce that chapter one is now up, and chapter two is still in progress. :) Thank you so so much for the sweet Louise! Who betaed this chapter and wanted to help me out with the others as well!

Enjoy reading! :)

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><p><strong>Chapter 1 - Silence is Golden<strong>

The dim glow of the fireplace illuminated the room cosily. The light was dull, yet nonetheless, it was _there_. The girl stepped further into the dark space, placing herself down upon the sofa by the hearth. The room was so silent it seemed as if she could not even hear her own breathing, only the calm, flickering flames that danced gracefully within the grate. The scent of the room reminded her of elderly men and spicy liquorice. Tugging nervously at her school uniform, she waited impatiently for the powerful wizard, he who asked her to come, to join her.

"Ah, Miss Bennett. I am glad to see you here so early."

A husky voice appeared behind the student, causing her to gasp and turn her head in surprise. She smiled nervously at the tall man; his beard longer than his white hair. Slowly, he made his way around the sofa before sitting down beside the girl. In his hands was a bowl of shiny black Liquorice Snaps. "Feel free to indulge in a little Liquorice Snap, my dear." The professor smiled kindly at her, extending the bowl, but the girl refused. He swiftly took a handful for himself.

"Do not be shy. I did not call you in here because you did something wrong. You do realize that, don't you?" Dumbledore cleared his throat and took a seat beside her, his hands folded in his lap. "I have looked through your school papers from last year and, due to the test you undertook last Friday, I'm happy to announce that you are able to attend regular classes."

Silence approached once more as the girl merely shrugged. Was she really ready?

"Miss Bennett. You do know, the sooner you work among other wizards and witches, the better?" Dumbledore paused, taking her chin gently in his hands and forcing her heavy blue eyes to look into his ancient ones, filled with knowledge. "You, my dear, are a very talented student. Even with everything you have had to cope with, you still know far more magic than many other students your age..." His voice took on a lighter tone. "You already control not only wand-less, but non-verbal magic as well. I am very pleased to say that you can attend classes early than others in your condition."

Another smile stumbled across the elderly man's face as he observed the girl. Her face vanished into her hair as she looked down at her lap. She sighed slightly.

"Miss Bennett, are you unhappy about this?" he asked, lifting her head gently to look at her once more. She sighed again, shaking her head.

Dumbledore stroked his beard calmly. "Listen, Miss Bennett. You have been under certain care so far, but it is about time you try to stand on your own. You'll do fine, I'm certain. You have a strong personality and a strong mind to match. If you continue your current classes, you will not be able to learn much more. I know for a fact that you love learning new things, and love to be challenged. You are, after all, a true Ravenclaw."

He wiped the tears from her eyes. "There is no need to cry, my dear. It is not as scary as it sounds. You will make new friends; have new opportunities, new experiences _and_, not to mention, get to know boys your own age." Dumbledore winked, chuckling slightly, which made the girl smile in response. "I will have you moved from your current rooms in the main tower to the Ravenclaw common room." He cleared his throat. "Are you feeling a little more confident about it now?"

The girl nodded; a weak smile on her lips. It felt as if a stone were caught in her throat, a knot emerging in her stomach. She was nervous, but more than anything she was excited about taking her classes to a whole new level.

_She felt ready_.

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><p>Walking steadily and slowly down the corridor, Faye Bennett struggled through the crowd toward the potions classroom, deep within the dungeons. So far, taking classes at a whole new level had proven a challenge. Yesterday, she had attended her very first Defence Against the Dark Arts class, followed by Charms, Divination and Ancient Runes. On this day, she would also be attending Transfiguration and Potions. She was not looking forward to Potions. Many times during her schooling years, she had heard tales of Professor Severus Snape and the atrocious way he behaved toward students – especially those who did not come from his house: Slytherin. As Faye approached the classroom, as one of the final pupils, she noticed how all the seats furthest from Snape's desk were taken. The only empty ones were at the very front of the class.<p>

If the cold, barely lit classroom wasn't scary enough, Faye found herself further disturbed by the pickled animals floating in glass jars all around the walls. The mere atmosphere seemed so different from the tiny room in which she had previously been taught Potions. Her previous lessons in the subject had been with specialized teachers in very different places, specialized for those like her. It would be interesting to see the different teaching methods adopted by Professor Snape, after all, she had heard only good things about him academically. Faye felt quite confident in Potions, as it was her favourite subject along with Divination.

The doors to the classroom burst apart, and Faye caught herself gasping in surprise as the Potions Master entered. With a swift movement of Snape's hand, the doors shut instantly, capturing them in darkness. He strode silently past the desks, turning on his heel finally to send a venomous glare at the assembled students, more toxic than the fumes from a poisonous candle.

Snape was in the room only seconds before he noticed the new pupil in the front row. How could he not? He could sense a nervous soul from miles away, how else could he be so good at breaking a fragile student's confidence? He observed the new student for quite a while before finally manoeuvring his hands over the scarred wooden desk at which she was seated, leaning toward her.

"Miss Bennett, I presume? The new student whom Dumbledore found qualified enough to attend my NEWT Potions class?" Snape's voice was deathly calm, eliciting fear within some of the students. The Slytherins started to snicker. Snape ignored them, his threatening black eyes boring into her light blue ones.

Normally I do not accept new students weeks after the school term has begun. However," Snape bit his words. "Headmaster Dumbledore has _persuaded _me to take an extra student. I hope you do not disappoint him, Miss Bennett. You have weeks of studying to catch up on if you are going to survive in my class." Snape's lips curled into a tiny smirk. Sending a last immobilising glance, he withdrew from her presence, leaving a scared and numb student in his wake.

"So you think you have what it takes to be here?" Snape frowned. Grabbing his cloak, he traversed his arms across his chest, dragging the heavy material with him. "Tell me, Miss Bennett, what is the best way to gather juice from the poisonous midnight fungus?" Faye did not move to answer. Snape sneered. "No? How do you make sure that it is drained correctly, so that the drinker of the finished potion will not get a one way ticket to St. Mungo's?"

Faye grabbed her quill and begun to write the answer to his question. Not even half way through, she was interrupted.

"This is not a written assignment, Miss Bennett. I did not ask you to _write_ your answer." Snape cocked a dark eyebrow. The Slytherins snickered louder now. Snape sent them a hard look. "Silence." His voice was so dark and threatening, it made everyone go silent within a split second.

"Answer me, Miss Bennett. I will – _not – _repeat my question."

Faye took a deep breath and simply shook her head, not knowing how to answer him.

"Well, well, well, apparently this class is a little _too_ advanced for our new student. Let's try again, shall we? What important ingredient gives the sunshine glow to the elixir to induce Euphoria? How long should you let it brew to get the perfect glow?"

Faye blushed slightly, trying to point at herself before being interrupted.

"Miss Bennett, there is no time to fool around in my class. Answer. My. Question!" Snape waited, but no word escaped her shaking lips. His lips curled into a cruel smirk. "What is wrong? Cat stole your tongue?"

Faye shook her head.

"Then. Answer. My. Question," Snape snarled, but as no answer was yet to be produced, he simply snorted. "The answer would be Wormwood, Miss Bennett. The time? Five hours, two minutes and forty-seconds exactly. You will receive detention for your attitude." Hands still on the table, he leant close once more, causing her to gasp slightly in surprise. "And one more thing: learn your place and respect your teacher, or you will need lots of luck to survive _my_ class."

Severus observed the new girl from a safe distance, watching as her black quill swept effortlessly across the parchment. He had already received the first 'ten minute assignment' from the students and had purposefully chosen Faye Bennett's test as the first to mark. In a perverse way, he was looking forward to seeing how horribly she would do.

At first glance, he was rather impressed with her writing: so beautiful and artistic, as if she used all of her effort to make it come across like calligraphy. But by the speed of her writing, it did not look like much effort was being placed into her excellently crafted scribbles.

At the second glance, he ended up rather surprised and impressed by how much knowledge and effort she had put into a meagre ten minute assignment. He would have given her an "O" if it had not been for some insignificant mistakes and misspellings. It was well known that Severus Snape was a perfectionist, and even tiny mistakes were not to be tolerated. His mind pondered over the student's attitude when he had asked her the simple questions at the beginning of the class. As he marked her test with an "E", he realised there was one sentence he had not seen, scribbled on the back of the parchment. He cocked an eyebrow and narrowed his dark eyes as he read it:

_Don't listen with your ears, listen with your eyes_.

"Put your quills down," Snape said, gazing at the clock. "Class is dismissed. Do make notice of the homework you have been given for tomorrow." Severus pointed with his wand toward the blackboard, smirking inwardly as he heard the mutinous mutters of students claiming that four chapters – a detailed analysis and several tricky questions – was too much for them to cope with. "I said: class. Dis-missed." It did not take long for the class to gather their stuff and make a quick escape through the wooden doors.

"Not so fast, Miss Bennett," Snape said, catching her just before she was about to leave.

Faye swallowed a lump in her throat, stopping instantly.

"Come here," the Potions Master demanded, not looking away from the assignment clutched in his hand. "I'm impressed," he said plainly. Faye smiled slightly at his acknowledgement.

"I have one request before you leave," he stated, turning the paper. "Explain this."

Faye looked at the sentence she had put on the back of her assignment. She nodded before gently tapping her throat, fingers tracing the thick scar across her neck. Snape felt a growing interest as he watched her slender hands trailing the scar, brushing upwards before touching her rosy and soft looking lips. She opened her mouth wide before contracting them in a manner that would make it look as though she were speaking. She repeated the action until it dawned on Snape what she was trying to indicate.

"You are mute?" he asked, curiosity lurking behind his voice. Faye nodded gently and smiled awkwardly. "I did not know," Snape continued, his voice now tainted with annoyance. It was clear now, so obvious. How could he have not realised that? He glared at the girl before speaking once more. "You are dismissed, Miss Bennett."

Faye nodded, lowering her head in a thankful gesture and turned on her heels toward the door. All that remained was an echo of sound in the nearly empty classroom as she closed the heavy wooden doors.

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><p>Wonder how Severus will cope with this! Not sure he'd seen that one comming!<p>

Love it? Hate it? Please leave a review! I'd love to hear your opinion! :)

Hope you all enjoyed this ! thanks so much for reading! :)


	3. The Invicible Ones

**AN:** Hi again everyone! So chapter two is finally up! We'll get to hear some quite interesting things!

Thanks so so so so much for my dear friend Louise, for betaing my story and correct all my mistakes et cetera! I'm grateful!

Now, ENJOY!

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><p><strong>Chapter 2: The Invisible Ones<strong>

"But Albus, she's _mute_!" Severus snapped. "Surely that is reason enough to inform me? To inform all of the teachers?"

Even though he did not raise his voice; its sheer strength was enough to demand someone's full attention. Slowly, he walked toward the headmaster, whose back had been turned throughout their conversation.

"Severus, you are overreacting," said Albus Dumbledore in a quiet, husky voice. "Miss Bennett herself came to me with one request: she wished to begin the same classes as any other student – _no_ special conditions. There are no rules against this, and I will certainly obey her request.

Severus shot Albus a sceptical look, not missed by the headmaster. "She was translated by Madame Wilkinson, Severus, though I have a basic grasp of sign language myself."

"Headmaster, it is a necessity for teachers to know such things," Severus replied bitterly. "She simply cannot participate in the same classes as everyone else. She is unable to answer my questions – nothing! Did you have _that_ in mind when you transferred her?"

"Of course I did, Severus." The headmaster's voice lost its calm edge. "But it is so rare that we see students from her part of the school attend normal classes. It's rare that they even become socially and academically able to start! As headmaster, I only wish to present the best opportunities and challenges for all students, _any student_. Therefore, it is my responsibility to make whatever Miss Bennett asks for possible." Albus turned to Severus, pausing for a brief moment. "You are a resourceful man, Severus, you will have to adapt in your own way. The other professors discovered her inability to speak rather early in class and have already started to find ways to allow her to communicate and participate in class."

Severus scowled. _Was Albus insinuating that he was stupid?_ The thought crossed his mind briefly, but he knew better than to act on stupid thoughts. The headmaster was extremely powerful, and in Severus' experience, men with that level of power should not be crossed despite how they were spoken of.

"I understand," Severus stately simply. "I will... do... my best to help her during class."

"I know you will, Severus."

Dumbledore smiled gently as his wrinkled hand approached Severus, giving him a pat on the shoulder. "Look at it this way: what is life without the occasional challenge?"

He was correct, of course. This was, perhaps, the perfect opportunity for Severus to try something different this year, rather than teaching the students in the same manner as he always did. Without doubt, teaching Miss Bennett would be a rewarding challenge.

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><p>*You like him? Ew! You like the Potions Master?*<p>

*I do _not_!*

*Yes you do! As if I haven't noticed you gazing at the teachers table all morning – namely ogling a certain professor!*

Hands and fingers danced rapidly through the air, simultaneously combining hand movements, facial expressions and body language to convey meaning and fluidly express their thoughts. What a common Muggle would call it: sign language.

The sun's last rays doused the Great Hall in a striking orange glow. As evening crept over the Scottish highlands, the hall was filled with the tantalising smells of their scrumptious dinner. Faye was seated at one of the hall's massive trestle table with two other girls from the private classes she had attended, mere weeks ago. They were without doubt the only friends Faye truly felt she had at Hogwarts. They understood each other, they could _communicate_.

*You've been checking him out all day! I've seen it! Don't kid yourself,* signed Aileen, emitting a grunt and tiny laugh as her own gaze turned to the teacher's table; where the Professor was sitting, reading a book and absentmindedly poking the leftover food on his plate with a fork.

Aileen Forrest was a half-blood Hufflepuff, only one year behind Faye. She began attending the private lessons with Professor Gallwick and Madame Wilkinson mere months into her first year at Hogwarts. During her first year, she wandered into the Forbidden Forest and was violently attacked by a creature, which ripped off her left ear. From what Aileen had told her, the creature's growl was louder than an explosion, causing permanent deafness in both ears. The trauma of the experience had rendered her mute. She had a voice, but through four years of misuse, she could only make random noises and sounds. Despite the mental and physical side effects of this attack, Aileen was still a beautiful young woman with short blonde hair and grey eyes that seemed to shimmer when she stepped into the sunlight.

*He's ugly.* This time it was Laura Barker, another of Faye's friends, who spoke. *Old and ugly.*

*You're always so judgemental, Laura,* signed Faye, somewhat exasperatedly.

Laura was the youngest of them all. Sorted into Gryffindor, she was two years behind Faye. She was a half-blood, raised in the Muggle world with her pureblood mother and muggle father. Laura was not only born deaf, but also had a severe case of Autism, which at times made it difficult to be around her. She was quite a loner, and frequently wished to spend time in her own company. Difficult though it could be, Faye and Aileen knew that Laura could not always be held accountable for her actions due to the Autism, and did not hold it against her.

*Okay,* Faye admitted finally. *So I _have_ been checking him out. Obviously, I think he's handsome, but that does not mean I have a _crush_ on him. I just find him interesting.* Her friends shot her disbelieving looks, to which she rolled her eyes. *You should have seen how rude he was to me yesterday! He thought I was being rude, so he gave me a detention. Even when he found out I was mute, I still spent the afternoon scrubbing cauldrons.*

Aileen made a horrified face. *And you're happy about that..._ why_?*

*Not happy in _that_ way, but you know, it made me feel... normal. Ever since I left you guys, the other teachers have been coddling me, as though I can't take care of myself. The other day I was running late for Defence Against the Dark Arts and did not even get punished. The guy who came in seconds later was given detention.* Faye scowled at the memory. *It made me feel like shit, and the other students started whispering behind my back, saying I was a teacher's pet. In Snape's class – I'm treated like any other student.*

Aileen and Laura nodded.

*I can understand now,* Aileen added.

Faye smiled confidently. She did not want to admit it to her friends, but there was a certain force that drew her to the Potions Master. She did not find him as scary, or as ugly, as her fellow students. In fact, she was rather looking forward to going to his next class. Her musing was cut short by a quick sign from Aileen.

*So, what's it like?*

*What do you mean?*

*How's it like to go to classes with _ordinary_ people, obviously.*

Faye frowned. The term 'ordinary' irked her. *We're as _ordinary_ as they are, Aileen.*

*You know that's not true, Faye,* Aileen signed sullenly, rolling her eyes. *Look around you. In case you hadn't noticed, they think we're odd. Can't you see the way they look at us?*

Faye shrugged. *They're simply not used to seeing it.*

*Or maybe,* Laura added. *They think we're freaks.*

*We're not freaks!* Faye motioned viciously. *We're not sitting here putting on a show for their enjoyment. We have just as much right to sit here and have a conversation as they do.* Her eyes darted around the hall, darkening at the judging looks of her peers. *They're just disapproving of our 'kind', probably something drilled into them by their pathetic, ignorant parents.* Faye paused for a moment before once again picking up the movement of her hands, mouthing her words as she went.

*You know, in the muggle world we're considered equal to everyone else.*

Aileen exhaled. *But this is not the muggle world, Faye. There are more muggles than wizards, therefore more of our _kind_. No wonder it's considered more 'normal'.*

Faye smouldered for a moment, before regaining her composure. *For your information, I'm doing just find in their classes. It's tougher academically, but it feels good to be learning new things from the teachers, rather than finding it out myself.*

*Merlin bless your courage, Faye.* Aileen exclaimed. *You're the first of us in twenty-years to be transferred. I hope you do well.*

Faye smiled nervously in return.

From the corner of his eye, Severus watched Faye converse silently with her two fellow students. Thoughts passed through his mind as he watched them, but one in particularly seemed to stand out: why had he never noticed her? With such a natural talent in potions, it seemed almost sacrilegious that she was kept from his classes for so long. On the other hand, he was not overly surprised that he had not encountered her before.

Every professor at Hogwarts knew that there was a section of the school that specialised in teaching magic to disabled wizards and witches. No one ever spoke of it, though. It was as if talking of those students was taboo. Some wizards, especially those from his own house, would forbid their sons and daughters to even gaze at those with disabilities. They were considered shameful to society and some even argued that _weaklings_, those with handicaps, should not be taught magic at Hogwarts. They should be taught ways in which to hide their magical abilities, rendering them able to live among muggles, where such _people_ belonged. Those with physical disabilities, like mild Cerebral Palsy, were viewed as foul abominations, no respect was shown towards them. All in all, those with disabilities were made invisible, left to fade into the brickwork.

The two professors teaching these students were not even genuine professors at the school, but volunteers trained in the different methods of communication and teaching required for the disabled. They were the only ones capable and patient enough to learn enough about every subject taught at Hogwarts, adapting them to suit the different learning requirements of their students. Their primary job was to teach them enough about controlling their magic so that they could attend normal classes, but very rarely did this actually happen.

Severus would not have been surprised if Dumbledore and McGonagall were the only two teachers who actually kept track of how these students were doing at school. Most did not care, after all, these students rarely graduated from the school – nor did they have a chance of gaining employment in the wizarding world.

But Faye Bennett... she was _different_. She was bright, intelligent and quite unlike any other student he had encountered from the unspoken of section of Hogwarts. Despite her quite obvious flaws, she was certainly beautiful. Her black, wavy, thick hair seemed to caress her shoulders, glowing in an almost purple glow in the illuminess of the sunset. Her deep blue eyes suited her perfectly, though the freckles across her nose and crooked front teeth did not do her beautiful face justice. She had a strong character, probably a side effect of her thirst to prove herself. He was impressed that she had not cried after he had humiliated her, had not proven herself a juvenile teenager. He had to admit, he had been more than a little _too _rude to her during her first Potions lesson. Despite this, he had no intention of apologising. After all, he had his pride.

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><p>Love it? Hate it? Please share your thoughts in a review! I would very much appriciate that! :)<p>

Uuuuhh yeah ~ Severus has gotten an eye up for this strange witch! I bet he has been just as prejudice as other wizards! Might change his mind, there's a lot more to handicapped children and adults than what people think! Being mute is not as big a disability as what can occur, but I guess all the wizards thinks the same of everyone of _those_.

I'd been working with handicapped children myself, and quite liked it. Which also explains why I am bringing up this fanfiction; I've always wondered about potterverse, how and where they put the disabled ones at. Talking more of the physical disabled here, than the mentally ones. But goes both ways! So after I'd been pondering about it for quite a while, I accidently came up with Faye as a character. And thought it was about time I would make a fanfiction about it! well... more or less. ;) It will be included in the whole theme. Am I talking too much? - lol! Let me know how you feel! Thank you so much for reading!


	4. Disturbing Discovery

**AN: **First! The usual disclaimer: blablabla I don't own anything in the Potterverse, neither the characters nor do I make money on this.

NOW! Chapter three is up, and there's a little hidden surprise within it... Since it's easter ;) SOME adult words might occur, and if you still haven't noticed: **the story is rated M** - And you'll start to get the hints of why it was rated M! Let's see what Snape got in the goodie-bag for us!

At last: Once again I will have to make a huge thanks to my beta reader: Louise - Sureves_epans - for taking her time betaing this for me, and learning me more and more english and words as I read it through! Enjoy!

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><p><strong>Chapter 3 – Disturbing Discovery<strong>

Her eyes followed Snape as he strode slowly across the silent classroom. From his cloak, he pulled a rough golden sheaf of parchment which he placed carefully in front of Faye. Looking up cautiously, Faye's ocean blue eyes caught his black ones. No words were spoken, Snape merely raising his left brow before marching toward his desk. Gracefully, he placed himself upon his 'throne', tugging his sleeves gently before grabbing his quill, assumedly marking the day's homework.

Faye's gaze fell back to the mysterious piece of parchment. No one else had one, so why had he handed it to _her_? Was this yet another cruel ploy to cause her humiliation? It was with surprise that she noticed words forming on the page: an elegant script scribed in black ink.

_I have charmed this paper for you, Miss Bennett. If you have any questions throughout the class, write them down and I will answer them. _

As she finished reading, the words started to fade until once again the parchment was blank, an inviting surface for her to write on. Her eyes widened, surprised at how the infamously rude Professor Snape had bothered to help her out. Moving her gaze from the parchment, her periwinkle eyes once more met his onyx, a small smile curling her lips.

He simply rolled his eyes.

Unperturbed, she grabbed her own quill, dipping it within the ink and scribbled a response.

_Thankyou Professor Snape... for giving me a chance._

Once more, Faye caught the Potions Master rolling his eyes. She could not help but smirk slightly, knowing that he cared little for her over-sensitive gratitude. Yet to her, the gesture meant a great deal. It gave her the opportunity to further her knowledge of potions and even ask questions that had been bugging her for years.

"Enough reading." Snape's masculine voice penetrated the silence. He placed his hands on the worn surface of his desk, rising from the chair whilst glaring down the assembled students. "Even the laziest of you should have read the chapter on the Draught of Peace, though looking at _these_," – he pointing at the teetering pile of essays – "it appears that only _one_ of you" – his eyes bore into Faye's – "could name the most important ingredient. Take out your kits and prepare a Draught of Peace. For those of you who actually read the chapter, you will know that an imperfect brewing can lead to disaster. Let us keep the explosions to a minimum." Snape's eyes moved from Faye, his lips curling into a nasty sneer as they fell on Miss Hover, a clumsy little Hufflepuff, who had qualified for the class only through a high standard of written work. A blush overcame her as the Slytherins started an encore of laughter.

Snape ignored them. "You may begin."

Faye felt her stomach turn in excitement: this would be her first potion brewed in an _actual_ Potions class. She tried not to let her exhilaration show, but it was hard to hide the smile curling her lips. It felt as though actual butterflies were fluttering within her stomach as she re-read the instructions in her text book. Fighting through the tumult of students, she retrieved the ingredients from a nearby shelf, heating water in her cauldron in the process.

Prowling through the nervous students, Snape produced biting comments whenever something was done incorrectly. It did not take long for Miss Hover to cause havoc, her cauldron melting in a blob while the liquid in became liquid fire. The girl sobbed with further embarrassment. Faye could not help but feel pity for the girl. She had overheard what Hover had been saying to her friends before class, that her parents had forced her to continue with potions because they expected her to be a healer. Despite her brilliant essays, the girl loathed the classes and was clearly terrified of Snape. This obvious fear only added fuel to the fire, providing Snape with all he needed to crush that tiny cup of self confidence the clumsy Hufflepuff had left.

...

Severus cleared the mass of melted cauldron with a flick of his wand, striding toward his newest student. The heady sweet scent coming from her cauldron tickled his nostrils, informing him that her potion was coming along fine. She had even managed to produce the trickles of silver vapour – impressive indeed.

Miss Bennett's smooth hands fumbled lightly with the ingredients, pouring them slowly into the cauldron to ensure it was brewed correctly. He came up behind her, getting so close that he could smell the delicate perfume of her hair. He waited, like a puma for its prey, waiting for her to slip up. A smirk curled his lips as the opportunity presented itself: her fingers enclosing a worn wooden spoon at her side. Swiftly, he caught her wrist, stopping her from dipping the spoon into the fragile mixture. She gasped, turning her head to face him, eyes wide.

"Never use a wooden spoon for this draught, Miss Bennett." His rough whisper tickled her earlobe, causing her to shiver slightly, biting her lip.

If his breath against her ear and grasp of his fingers around her wrist was not enough, the Potions Master stepped yet another inch closer. This time she was convinced she could feel his crotch pressing up against her bum. Her breath caught in her throat. She felt as if she had swum into deep water and was unable to keep herself above the surface, gasping for air as she sunk deep into the cold ocean. She observed the other fish that inhabited this ocean, none of which had noticed her descent into the blackened depth. They failed to notice how this man, this shark, had caught her in his forceful jaws.

She swallowed the lump in her throat, senses returning. She was not sure whether it was nervousness that caught her heart to skip a beat, or the proximity of her Potions Master. He was so close she could feel his heartbeat, feel his very chest lifting with every breath he took.

His fingers still grasping her wrist, he led her hand toward a metal spoon to her left. "Only metal spoons may be used here, Miss Bennett, as you would know if you had properly read the instructions." The barb mingled with sheer sensation as his fingers trailed gently down the inside of her wrist, toward her palm. The wooden spoon fell from her hand, soon to be replaced by the slightly scratched metal one.

"The metal is cold," he said, almost purring in her ear. "It must be warmed." He covered her petite hand with his significantly larger one, embracing both her and the chill metal spoon. He smirked. There was nothing he enjoyed more than to see the physical effect of his presence upon a student: the weakness, the fear. Faye Bennett though was _different_. It was as though he had a _calming_ effect upon her. He had never experimented in this way with a student. He had assumed that everything that made a student nervous was enjoyable, but this different intimidation was _terrific_. He felt powerful.

"Now stir it seventeen times clockwise. Let it simmer until the potion is turquoise blue," Severus hissed, once again in his domineering tone. "Though of course, _you_ already knew that?"

Faye simply nodded, causing Severus to smirk once more before letting her hand go.

"You appear to have high expectations of yourself, Miss Bennett," Snape sneered. "Think your better than everyone else?"

The accusations confused Faye, causing her to turn around and shake her head defensively.

"No?" His eyebrows raised questioningly. "You ought to. There is no room in this class for students who refuse to believe in their abilities." His gaze turned to the cowering Miss Hover, before venturing back to Faye. "You will receive an Exceeds Expectations for that Potion." Cruelty lined his features. "You will have to stop being so eagerly distracted if you wish to earn an Outstanding." Faye followed his eyes back to the cauldron, which had been simmering for far too long without stirring. Panic gripped her at its colour: a sickly green. Quickly, she turned off the heat and poured a beaker of water into the cauldron to prevent it bubbling over. She sighed deeply, running her fingers through her hair. She could not help but wonder if Snape had done this on purpose.

How humiliating.

Severus withdrew himself from her working space, weaving through the class to his desk. This year would indeed be interesting... and possibly pleasurable too.

The following days passed rapidly. Faye could not believe that fall was coming. She had yet to become accustomed to the new rules and regulations, the classes, the students... _the teachers_. She was particularly stressed about the huge wad of homework provided by Professor McGonagall. Most of the time she huddled in the common room, struggling over the additional work. She could not even ask her fellow Ravenclaws for help. Not being able to have regular contact with her friends was also starting to take its toll. The students from her old classes did not usually eat in the Great Hall with the rest of the school, so she was not even able to see them during her breaks. She felt lonely, extremely lonely. Sometimes she wondered whether Dumbledore was right to transfer her.

Could it really be that she was incapable of making one single friend from her own house?

Yes.

She was well aware of some students smiling kindly at her as she gazed their way. She could not speak, but this did not mean she could not hear them whispering about her in dark corners. Even those who had _wanted _to help her – perhaps even be friends – had turned their backs on her in the end. They did not have the patience to wait for her to write everything down, and as no one understood sign language (or showed interest in doing so), she began to wonder if she would ever make friends here at all.

Thankfully, this was her second last year at Hogwarts. Only one and a half year of this to go. Nevertheless, the idea of being alone for this long made it difficult to believe that she was just as normal as everyone else.

Faye sighed over her Potions homework, looking around the library, her chosen workplace for the day. She had been playing idly with her quill for the past ten minutes, and decided she simply could not understand the questions under the "Health" category. On the plus side, she had finished the nasty assignment that had been due yesterday, but she had been unable to submit it due to absence from class. A detention seemed eminent, but Professor Dumbledore had been able to convince Snape that her absence was fully permissible, that she had to visit Madam Pomfrey. She was thankful, she would probably be sorting out ingredients or scrubbing slimy cauldrons again if it had not been for Dumbledore.

She remembered how Snape had rewarded her with a furious frown, telling her that she would have to come by his office and hand in the assignment by Thursday – 8pm exactly.

She glanced at her pocket watch.

_ 7pm._ If she left now, she would still be able to get it to him in time. Perhaps she could even ask him for help with the Health questions? She smirked to herself: _Like that was going to happen_.

Rising from her chair, she collected the books and parchments before leaving the library. It was almost curfew and most of the students had returned to their dormitories. The clip of her shoes against the cold stone floor echoed in the torch lit corridors as she made her way toward the dungeons. A few portraits idly informed her that she should be returning to her dormitory. She ignored them.

Her pace slowed as she approached Snape's office. Books held tightly in her hands, she took a deep breath and headed toward the slightly open door. Rustling up the courage to knock, she allowed herself a slight glimpse into the darkness. Her knuckles stopped short of the wood.

A moan filled her ears.

"Ahhhh! No! Nnn-aaah!"

Faye's eyes widened slightly as the moans continued. What _was_ that? She looked around; making sure no one would catch her in the act of curiosity. No doubt she was breaking a million school rules. From her cloak she withdrew her wand, marking a circle on the semi-closed door that glowed orange before becoming transparent.

Her breath caught in her throat and for a moment she did not even realise she had stopped breathing.

The professor has his back turned to her, a striking figure of obsidian cloak and silky hair. Breaking this tirade of black, though, was a pair of female legs wrapped around his waist. By the look of the green stripes on her socks, it seemed fairly obvious that this was a Slytherin student. A growl escaped the professor's lips as his arms reached forward, back lowering over the girl who was seated upon his desk.

How could this be? A professor having sex with a student? Surely this broke every rule in the teacher's handbook? Faye could not believe her own eyes and had to blink several times to believe what she was seeing. Weirdest of all, she found herself blushing, a hot sensation tingling in her knickers. She had never in her life believed that she would be turned on by watching her teacher shagging a student. However, the thought of it only caused the moisture in her knickers to increase. She crossed her legs tightly, trying to prevent the sensation from building.

"I assure you," Snape's baritone penetrated through the door. "You will feel much better after this."

Faye gasped at his words, realising instantly her mistake. She clasped her hand over her mouth as she gasped. _Bollocks_! Snape turned his head at once, staring at the seemingly closed door. In a moment of panic, Faye dropped her books with a loud crash. The spell ceased to work and Faye could no longer see what was taking place through the door.

Heavy footsteps alerted her to Snape's movement and terror gripped her as she thought of his reaction to how nosy she had been. Gathering her books and parchment from the floor, she ran off, faster than ever before and hid herself behind the wall that turned to the left. She heard the door open but Snape had stopped walking. The door closed once more and she could no longer hear footsteps in pursuit. She sighed – _that was close!_ Daringly, she peeped around the wall edge but there was no sign of Snape. He must have gone back inside – thank Merlin for that!

She would rather serve detention for not handing in her assignment than be punished for breaking the rules of privacy, more specifically, _his_ privacy. She could barely contemplate what would have happened to her if she had been caught. One thing was for certain, it would not have been pretty.

She made her way through the nearly empty halls, up the many flights of steps before finally reaching Ravenclaw tower. Under usual circumstances, students could only enter the tower if they answered the bronze eagle's daily riddle. Fortunately for Faye, Dumbledore had provided her with an enchanted pendant that allowed her to enter the common room without trouble.

Cutting her way through the dimly lit room, she came to the empty shared dormitory. She wondered briefly where her roommates had disappeared to, but her mind was still fuzzy from the discoveries she had made in the dungeon. She got undressed and neatly folded her clothes before laying it on the padded blue chair beside her bed. At last, she pulled on her nightie and slipped underneath the warm blankets. Lighting the oil lamp beside her bed with a flick of her wand, she grabbed her Potions book. She might as well figure out tomorrow's homework before dozing off. She desperately tried to stay focused on the words, but found it to be near impossible. The image of what she had seen was flashing in her mind. Her mind brimmed with questions.

How could he have sex with a student? Why did she even care if he did or didn't? It was obviously none of her business, but there was a small part of her that felt envious of the student. It was completely ridiculous, she knew, but she could not shrug the thought away. She kept imagining how it would be to have his rough fingers caress her bare skin, the sensation of having his flesh buried deep inside her.

Her thoughts were broken when she saw the parchment Snape had given her the previous week. The parchment emitted a golden glow, letters starting to form on its surface. Her heart stopped as she read the sentence, deftly written in Snape's elegant script:

_A word with you tomorrow after class, Miss Bennett. In my office._

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><p><em>Oooh DEAR!<em> Is Severus going to kill her for this? Boy, I hope not! Otherwise we'll have a very tragic ending, or perhaps she'll just continue by haunting him... OR annoying the c*** out of him!

Hope you all enjoyed this chapter! Do feel free to leave reviews, I am DEEPLY honoured for those reviews I receive! Thank you so much to you all!

HAPPY EASTER EVERYONE!


	5. Inside the Bat's Cave

Hello again everyone! Here we go again. Yet another chapter is uploaded! And thank you to Louise for betaing once again - and I would like to thank my friend; emdramaqueen for giving me awesome ideas for this and the previous chapter 3 thanks so much girls!

This chapter might not be long, but I hope it satisfy you all - Just wait til the next one comes up! ;)

Enjoy!

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><p><strong>Chapter 4 – Inside the Bat's Cave<strong>

Her chest heaved slowly as she took a deep breath. She was now standing outside the very same door she had the day before, feeling as though she was already caught between the devil and the deep blue sea. Should she heed his summons, she was taking her first step into some unknown destiny. If she ran, something far worse than what she could ever imagine might happen. Obviously the Potions Master had called her in because he knew of her previous day's skulking into his privacy. Was this enough to get her suspended from school? Clearly a teacher's privacy was a high priority at Hogwarts, but she did not doubt that had it been anyone but Professor Snape, she would have been given a second chance. From her limited experience with the man, there really seemed little doubt that he would probably send her straight back on the train to where she belonged.

Inwardly she cursed herself. _Great job, Faye! You just made yourself even more nervous than you were to begin with. Stupid sock of rotten troll toes!_

Nervously she grabbed her hair and pulled it tightly, painfully. Desperately she inhaled a huge gulp of air before exhaling through her nostrils to calm her down. Her trembling hand enclosed into a fist as she finally gained enough courage to knock on the door.

"Enter." His deep baritone rung heavily from inside the room.

Faye took another deep breath before turning the silver doorknob, entering into the depths of his office. She looked around the gloomy, dimly lit room. The shadowy walls were lined with shelves filled with slimy, revolting things (plants and animals alike) preserved in potions of various colours. The room was permeated with the light bubbling of a simmer cauldron, unseen in the shadows, and the smell of the room was a heady mixture of sour and sweet. She looked at the black chair and round table situated in the centre of the room, where her professor was seated. He shot her a cold stare before slamming the door shut with a flick of his wand.

Faye gasped in surprise.

"Miss Bennett," he sneered. "You're late. Don't tell me you got lost?" He leaned back into his chair, resting his upper limbs on the armrest. "Take a seat," he said, watching carefully as she slowly made her way toward his desk. "I think we both know why I have brought you here, now don't we?" Snape cocked an eyebrow, dark eyes cold as she nervously nodded.

Beside his desk, Snape opened a drawer and took out a little black book. A few stickers were stuck here and there on the cover, depicting moving images of musical instruments. His gaze fell to the tiny lock on the book, before he grunted. "It seems to me that only a dim-witted witch would secure a diary like this with a spell so simple a six year old would be able to crack it." His eyebrow rose again. He placed the book on the table with the back cover facing up, pushing it slightly toward her. "I presume this looks familiar to you?" A long calloused finger grazed the back of the book, where a light inscription could still be seen: _Property of Faye Bennett_.

Faye bit her lip and for a moment was convinced she could taste blood. It was _her_ diary! She could not help but feel extremely embarrassed. Clearly when she dropped her books yesterday, she did not notice her diary. What if he had read it? It would be a disaster!

Snape's lips curled into the tiniest of smirks as he leant back once more in his chair. His eyes did not leave her out of sight. He saw how her face had turned red in embarrassment, it was clear that she was afraid of whether if he'd read in her diary or not. He needed no words to conclude that.

He interlaced his fingers and rested his chin upon them. "I assume you already known that I am aware of your lurking presence last night? I understand that you have seen something that was absolutely none of your business, correct?" He looked at Faye, who simply nodded. What else could she do? There was no point in lying to him, he knew everything already.

"Very well, then. I also trust that you are aware that what you saw must remain secret?"

She nodded again.

"Not that I suppose you would be able to run around telling people anyhow." Snape smirked maliciously. No doubt he was hoping that by now there would be tears streaming down her pale cheeks. But there was nothing. She simply sat there, numb, waiting for him to finish. "A detention seems fitting punishment for sticking your nose where it does not belong." The professor rose elegantly from his chair, moving around the table. Softly, he took a lock of Faye's hair and swirled it around his finger. "But as you have succeeded in gaining my attention, no easy feat, I will let you off – this time!"

_Really_? Faye could hardly believe her luck. She had _gained his attention_. This was a major thing indeed. Furthermore, Snape had let her off serving detention, a luxury usually reserved only for Slytherin students.

His coarse fingers continued to trace through her dark tresses. His hands moved from her hair, resting on her shoulders. An intense shiver went through her body, clearly evident to the Potions Master. He tightened his grasp, moving his head closer to hers, close enough to pick on the rose extract from her perfume: a scent that appealed in all manners to the opposite sex.

Faye felt the blood pulsing fast through her veins, throbbing in her ears as though someone spilled poison into them. She was unable to tell if she was nervous or simply _hot_ at having her teaching this close to her once more. She closed her eyes, smell and touch now in complete control of her sensory stimuli. Although Snape wore no fragrance, he had a certain masculine smell to him. A smell that only a true full grown man could wear with pride. It was a scent customised in an animalistic measure purely to attract females, having them swoon in his sturdy presence, showing that he was the perfect male to mate with and produce the strongest offspring. Secretly, she wished that he would move his mature lips to her neck and kiss it tenderly, like he probably had done with that Slytherin student the day before.

Why was he like this with her? She had not seem him treading so closely to other students in the class, and seriously doubted he was a teacher who had sex with any student he found sexy, enticing or interesting.

Faye did not feel enticing though. She always felt that no matter how he behaved, there would always be a dark side to his actions: a move designed to humiliate. She understood that while she had a great deal of self-confidence, to him, she was an easy target. She was different, there was no way to avoid it. More than ever she yearned to be able to speak: to ask him plainly why he was doing this to her.

On the other hand, she did not show any signs of wanting him to stop. She did not _want_ him to.

Snape gently ran his palms up and down her arms until once again he reached her shoulders. "I think I have made myself clear. You will keep my secret now, won't you Miss Bennett?" Snape nearly purred in her ear. The smirk appeared on his lips once more, watching her nod.

"You are dismissed, Miss Bennett. I will see you in class tomorrow." His voice was back to it's usual cold self, his face impassive as though nothing had happened between them.

Faye sighed quietly to herself.

She wondered...

Was she disappointed?

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><p>Oh my. Faye have sunk deep into her crush! Pretty sure our professor have discovered that already!<p>

Hope you all enjoyed it! Please if you feel like you got something to say; good or bad - Tell me! I enjoy connstructive feedback, but also enjoy all of your kind reviews! Keeps me very motivated to continue!

Thank you all for reading! xxxx


	6. Etched Into My Mind

**AN: **SO! I've finally finished chapter 5! I am sorry about it took so long for me to finish! But I'd lost my muse and I'm slightly afraid that it shows in the chapter! But all in all it turned out alright, and I thank sureves_epans, Louise, for taking her time beta-ing my chapter once more! You have no idea how greatful I am! :)

Get ready to see why this fanfiction is rated M - ENJOY! ;)

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><p><strong>Chapter 5 – Etched into my mind<strong>

Oh! How she wished she could growl, purr or just moan loudly as jolts of pleasure ran through every single nerve in her body. Pearls of sweat ran down her heated form whilst these hands, these rough and forceful hands, ran over her nakedness. She breathed deep of the chemical scented air, disappearing into her professor's deep black eyes as he looked up at her. His soft lips came in touch with her inner thigh, moving towards her dampening core. Faye's body writhed in pleasure, fingers and toes curling as she felt his breath on her skin. Gently, Severus pulled off her baby-blue lace knickers, revealing her wet core. Severus's rough fingers began caressing her near her outer labia, teasing her endlessly by not touching her wet lips directly. He pushed his hand on top of her stomach, forcing her down on the table again as she writhed once more; lifting her back from the wooden surface.

"Lay still," he commanded, smirking. His voice danced elegantly in the thick air of his office, where Faye listened to every note; every sound that he caressed to perfection.

Faye exhaled deeply as she, with all her might, tried to lay still. She could not believe that her potions master was spending his precious free time pleasuring her. It felt as if she'd been on his desk, being treated like royalty, for hours. Mere minutes had passed.

"Naughty students will be punished," he purred. Oh! How his voice did unspeakable things to her. This man oozed sex.

He leaned over her, resting on one hand while using the other to stroke her sex, his fingers coming to twirl around her clit, sending huge waves of pleasures through every nerve in her body. Though her curse withheld her from truly expressing herself through noise, her body's writhing and her heaving breaths sung of great desire to Severus. He stared down at her, lust clearly tingeing his expression and voice. "You ready?" he asked hoarsely as he kissed her perky breasts. She could only nod, the 'yes' she wanted to say getting lodged in her throat in anticipation of what was about to come.

Merlin, yes!

It was the long shrieks of Faye's alarm clock that made her dreaming body wake at once. It took her a few seconds to realise where she really was.

And that was certainly not her professor's office.

Faye rubbed her head tiredly before she turned off the clock. That dream, it seemed so real, she could even feel her body tingling from the sensations her imagination had brought her. It all became clear: Faye had the hots for Professor Snape. She knew she'd felt tremendously nervous and at certain times, hot, when her professor was near her, spoken to her and Merlin, when he touched her. But she was confused, she was not sure whether _feelings_ actually were involved.

Whilst doing her usual morning routines, Faye speculated over certain things. The weeks had passed in a total blur ever since the day she was trapped outside Snape's office, witnessing him doing unspeakable things to a Slytherin student. She barely remembered him conversing with her, the only thing that seemed clear to her from that day, was the smell of his manly extract hanging heavily in the air. After that day the weeks seemed blurry to her; her friends, her other teachers, the homework, the bullying, she barely noticed any of this happening, all she'd focused on was her potions professor, and how he walked, talked and argued. She remembered one encounter in particular. But not exactly the encounter she wanted to remember the most.

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><p>It was a cool evening and Faye was enjoying herself by the lake, sitting on the bridge with her feet dangling above the water. She'd escaped the usual silent treatment and class bullying from some of her housemates and students from other houses. Her primary reason for leaving was study, but had decided to go for a little winter swim in the lake to calm her senses before doing so. She'd taken off her coat and uniform and laid it on the bridge. The evening was silent and not a soul had been seen outside of the castle. The moon shone brightly in a sky clear enough for stars to come out. Faye observed her surroundings before she finally removed her bra and knickers. She knew it was highly inappropriate to swim naked in the lake, but there had been so much going on lately, and she needed a relaxing swim to clear her head. She perched on the bridge above the water, steadily getting used to the coolness surrounding her naked skin. At last she let go and within a second her whole body was surrounded by the frigid water.<p>

At first her body shivered from the coolness, but she accustomed herself to the cold quite quickly, swimming around for a bit. She sighed with content as she began swimming around on her back with her head in the water, listening to the sounds beneath the surface, to the hushed sound of the water that surrounded her ears completely. No herb nor potion could cure stress and headaches like this. It was simply soothing. She remembered how her mother used to tell her to go to the bathtub and lay with her ears underneath the water, and just listen. She had said the reason for its calming effect was because it spoke to every human's subconscious memory of the time they laid inside their mother's protective womb. This same reason explained why it was soothing to lay against another person's chest, to listen to the heartbeat. Faye smiled vaguely to herself when thinking of the time her mother told her about it. It had been the only thing that had calmed her completely ever since.

She usually thought to herself, how lucky she was to actually be able to hear. To listen completely to the soothing and beautiful sounds that could be found everywhere. People tended to feel so bad for her because she was mute, but frankly she didn't feel bad for herself. She felt so lucky.

When Faye at last opened her eyes again, she realized that it had grown even darker. _My, have I been lying here for so long?_ She thought to herself. Reluctantly, she began swimming towards the little bridge. By stretching her short arms completely she just managed to get hold of the bridge and begin pulling herself up. As she pulled her head above the bridge, she noticed a big pair of black shoes standing right in front of her.

"You do know, Miss Bennett, that it is highly inappropriate to swim naked on Hogwarts grounds," Snape spoke, his deep masculine roar penetrating the silence.

Faye gasped, dropping back into the water to cover her nudity.

Severus raised a brow at her action, simply staring down at her.

"Are you going to put some clothes on? Or are you waiting for me to join you?" Oh he wished; wished he could shamelessly strip himself and join her for an intimate swim in the water. Where he could hold her, even touch her.

Faye saw that Snape was clearly looking for an answer, so she simply looked down at herself and pointed at him before carefully waving her hand, hoping he would understand her sooner or later.

Oh, he understood her alright. But it was too great an opportunity. "Well, Miss Bennett. If you're able to swim shamelessly naked in the lake, you should have no problem getting dressed while I'm here. Promptly."

Faye rolled her eyes secretly. This was not the sort of punishment she'd thought of. She stretched her arms again and began pulling herself out of the water. At last she managed to pull herself onto the bridge, where Snape now brazenly gawked at her with both his eyebrows heaved high. Faye swiftly managed to pull back on her bra and knickers. She felt less vulnerable just by wearing a bit of clothing on her body. She rose from the ground and turned her backside to Snape as she picked up the rest of her clothes.

Severus' mood changed slightly as her tight little bum pointed straight in his direction without her even bending her knees to grasp her clothes. He cleared his throat a bit and kept on his usual cold façade, although, inwardly he smirked greatly. Her see through knickers revealed nearly every detail. It was a true pleasure to watch this young woman revealing her healthy curves.

Severus smirked devilishly. "One would think you are showing off your little body on purpose, hmm?" Severus crossed his arms and raised an eyebrow at her as she turned around to face him, now fully clothed.

Faye managed to furrow her eyebrows and shake her head.

"Oh no?" He sneered. "Perhaps you – I don't know –_wanted_ me to get intrigued by your soft skin?"

Faye felt confused. Why would her professor suddenly begin talking to her in this way, unless… he'd read it in her diary? Oh dear Merlin, please don't let that be true! All her thoughts, even intimate ones, were in her diary, not to mention some pages included a fantasy writing of her most intimate thoughts. If would be a classic disaster of every girls nightmare if he had read in her diary. Faye bit her lip just thinking it.

"So?" Severus asked boldly. "Did you do it on purpose?"

Faye shook her head.

"I see." Severus' grinned inwardly, but outwardly it seemed that his smirk from before had vanished. "Well, Ravenclaw will lose five points for your shameless behavior, and another five for you being out after curfew. Now, get back to your common room, I know for a fact that you have lessons to attend in the morning, Miss Bennett."

Faye nodded slightly.

"Well what are you waiting for? Your broom? G-O." His voice penetrated her like needles, and before he knew it, she was off to the common room. He snorted slightly to himself before leaving himself, billowing robes dancing in the wind, but he was not heading towards the castle.

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><p>Oh yes, she remembered. She felt extremely embarrassed after that incident. She remembered how hard it was for her to face him. It was rather upsetting to think of how she would tackle it today. She had just had the most disturbing dream about her professor. How would she be able to face him, when she had practically a picture of his length printed on her retina? There was obviously nothing else to do than to attend the class. She just had to make sure that she did not linger the dream.<p>

It felt as though her steps were heavy as stone as she found her way towards the cold dungeon. Her heart pounded like crazy and her palms began sweating, just like they usually did the day before an important test.

Her determination to forget the dream was easier said than done. She kept dwelling on it and every time her eyes caught Severus', she remembered how lustfully he stared into hers as his lips attacked.

"_May I have a word with you miss Bennett?" _Severus scribbled upon the enchanted paper, just as class nearly was over.

"_Yes professor?" _

"_I've noticed that you've left out various of conclusions in your previous essay, not to mention your distant behavior in my class today. I do not accept sloppiness in my class. I know you can do much better than this."_

"_I'm so sorry professor, my mind has been all over the place lately. There's been an awful lot of stuff that I've needed to confront and I've had a hard time to focus."_

"_Whatever you need to confront, you will have to put it aside when attempting my classes. I did not take in a student from the 'special' class for just any reason. You will have to focus as much as everyone else regardless what the reason may be. My lessons are not to be thought of a picnic nor a place where you can take a trip to dreamland. Understood?" _

"_Certainly professor." _

"_Good – as for your essay, I would like you to take your time now, to write down the conclusions you've missed."_

"_Of course, Professor." _

Severus rose from his chair as soon as class was over. He placed Faye's recent essay on her desk before he strode back to his chair and sat down on what any student would refer as his throne. Severus' eyes flicked back toward Miss Bennett. He had had some recent trouble himself, getting her out of his head, images of those rosy lips covering his own.

His mind began analyzing his discovery, why her? Faye surely was someone different, but nevertheless she was a _student_, and not even one from his _own_ house. He would not consider the possibilities for she _was_ a student. Toying with her was as much fun as ever, though now her nude image was etched on his mind and getting rid of her was no easy task. After reading very few lines in her diary it became clear that this girl had an unhealthy obsession with him, and he had to concede, he had begun to think impure thoughts about her.

But nothing could ever come of this, nothing _should._ He would not become involved in something as tacky as a student and teacher relationship. But why wouldn't she get out of his head?

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><p>I live for reviews! Let me hear what you think! :) Thank you so much to all of you who have favorited, reviewed and alerted me and my story! Warm hugs to all of you! Hope you're all enjoying the summer so far!<p>

**NOTICE: **I know many of you are very confused about snape's opinion on student/teacher relationships. But donnot fret, there will be time for explanation throughout the story! You will discover the truth. ;)


	7. Excessive Behavior

**PLEASE READ AN!**

**AN: Alright! **So I have recieved a few reviews from some people who felt quite confused over what Severus mentioned in the previous chapter, about not getting involved with a student and related to chapter 3, _Disturbing Discovery_, I am pleased to let you know that this is no mistake I've made. Everything is not what it seems, and perhaps, think of what Severus personally mentions, as a clue, not an error ;)

You will get your minds cleared up throughout the story! Don't worry! the confusion will have an end! (at some point!)

Also! Please, I would like you to remember and keep in mind when you read my stories, that English is my 3rd language and my english is not from origin! Just so you know ;)

With that being said, then I hope you will enjoy the latest chapter here! Faye seems to get herself in quite a pickle!

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><p><strong>Chapter Six – Excessive Behavior<strong>

"Not only have you used violence against another student, but to use your wand to cause harm?" Professor McGonagall swept toward Faye, who sat resolutely behind her desk in the Transfiguration classroom.

McGonagall scowled. "This is a very serious matter, Miss Bennett, and you will have to deal with the consequences. Twenty-points will be taken from Ravenclaw. Any further action will be decided once Professors Flitwick and Dumbledore arrive. I will not lie to you," McGonagall's voice dropped, so that only Faye could hear her words, "this is far worse than anything I have seen for many years. It is likely you will be expelled for your actions."

Faye dared look up. She had done nothing but bury her face in her hair while Professor McGonagall had attacked her with a good old fashioned oral wallop. Her fingers curled in her hair, legs starting to shake slightly beneath the table. She could take it no more, she had to explain herself! If they knew why, surely she would not be expelled? Expulsion would definitely hinder her dreams of becoming a teacher herself. After what seemed an age, Professors Dumbledore and Flitwick entered the room, accompanied by Madame Wilkinson. They stood in the doorway for a moment before marching toward McGonagall and Faye.

"Professor Dumbledore, Filius," McGonagall begun, " I will let you take care of this situation. The injuries inflicted upon these students –"

"No need to explain, Minerva," Dumbledore interrupted softly. "We are aware if the situation. One of the students has already requested a transfer to St Mungo's to be treated." Dumbledore left McGonagall to stew, placing himself before Faye at her desk. "Miss Bennett." He sounded so calm, and Faye found her nerves dulling somewhat. Her legs ceased to shake, her fingers dropping from her dark curls and onto the table. She lifted her head to look at the headmaster, aware of the disrespect should she not do so. Her clothing was a mess, splattered with blood from those she had injured. Her face was pale and sallow, deep blue eyes as innocent as a newborn.

"I assume you would like to explain your actions, before we take further steps in deciding your punishment?" Dumbledore waved his hand, "Madame Wilkinson."

Gerta Wilkinson stepped forward, laying a hand gently on top of Faye's. She was such a sweet lady, a small smile crossing her lips. Her hair was blonde and thick, a haven in which her little pet creature, Stanley, usually spent his time (Faye was unsure as to exactly _what_ Stanley was). Around her shoulders, she wore a dusty red-toned shawl and dangling from her neck was a tiny bottle on a chain, possibly containing a potion of which the students were ignorant. This woman stored everything within the voluminous depths of her dress pockets, a particularly handy trait, as she was responsible for providing the handicapped students with their equipment or medicine throughout lessons. The insides of her pockets had been magically enlarged for this purpose.

Madame Wilkinson was always seen bare-footed, and some people thought of her as being somewhat loony, what the Muggles would refer to as a _hippy_. Stereotypes aside, Faye found herself calmed by her presence. Madame Wilkinson had provided her with much comfort and trust over the years.

"My dear Faye, this is not what we raised you to do. Violence does not solve _anything_." Gerta laid a hand on Faye's head. "Now why don't you tell us what happened?"

Faye sat up straight, directing her attention to her old tutor. Her mouth began contracting in certain ways, hands and arms dancing through the air, mingling signs with facial expressions. Finally, translated through Madam Wilkinson, she could have her thoughts clearly revealed.

_*I did not mean to do them as much hard as I did.*_

Wilkinson began translating.

_*I swear I am not a violent person. I simply snapped. I barely even remember what happened!*_ Faye took a short break, before continuing.

_*Normally I try to ignore the bullying. I have always been bullied at this school, but I chose to ignore it. But when they go for my friends-_* Her fingers started to shake *- _when they do something disrespectful or just plain immature, I can't help myself. The Branson twins and their friends played a prank on Aileen. They stole her wand and clothes while she was showering. The put them in the Great Hall. She is shy, and fragile, and they made her run through the school _naked _because of their stupid joke._* Her eyes now turned to Flitwick. _*You saw it yourself, Professor. You saw how everyone laughed at her._

_ *Obviously I felt sorry for my friend. They treated her – they treat US – like we're some kind of outlaws, creatures that don't have feelings. That is not the reason I snapped though.* _Faye paused again, regaining her composure, the clear memory of Aileen's humiliation imprinted on her mind. _*They did not stop there. This morning at breakfast they stole her potions and heart medication, replacing them with transfigured pumpkin juice and Bertie Bott's beans. Without her daily medication she started getting ill and her heart started having troubles. We did not know what had happened until we went to see Madam Pomfrey and she said Aileen had not taken her medication._*

Faye paused a moment. *_I could not help myself. I found the Branson twins and I just... snapped._* She glanced at Dumbledore. _*They admitted to doing it, they were _laughing_ about it! They made fun of the way she mumbles while she speaks. I punched Nigel Branson, and attacked Henry with my wand. I did not mean to actually make them bleed. I am aware this was not a responsible decision, and I accept it if you choose to expel me. Just one thing... I did not mean to do this on purpose. Please believe me._*

Dumbledore nodded, thanking Madame Wilkinson for her translation. He then turned to McGonagall, who was standing back, arms crossed against her chest. Finally, he looked back at Faye. "I believe you, Miss Bennett, but you must understand, physical violence against a student cannot be tolerated at Hogwarts. Under usual circumstances I would let Professor Flitwick decide your punishment, but in this case I will do so myself."

Faye stared at the table, feeling terrible. The resounding sense of guilt was not for inflicting injury upon the Bransons, they _deserved_ everything they got. Rather, it was the outcome. She had broken all the trust put upon her and now she was going to be expelled. For the first time that afternoon, tears started to stream down her cheeks.

"You will not, however, be expelled," Dumbledore stated quietly, causing Faye to look up and McGonagall to gasp.

"But Albus! If this had gotten any more out of hand she may have _killed_ one of those boys!"

"I am aware of that, Minerva. But we must look at the context. It appears these boy's played a life threatening trick upon Miss Bennett's friend, and while her actions cannot be condoned, she should not be expelled. I believe she has learned to keep her emotions under control." His eyes turned to Faye, who nodded.

"So, what are you going to do, Albus?" McGonagall snapped, clearly unhappy with the decision. "I would suggest putting her back with the other students of her kind. I mean no disrespect, but perhaps problems like this would not arise if the other students were kept separated from Miss Bennett and her friends?"

_No offence meant?_ Faye fumed. She had always thought McGonagall to be liberal minded. She had never felt so offended in her life.

"Excuse me, headmaster."

Faye turned abruptly at the familiar voice. Professor Snape stood at the doorway, eyes trained on those assembled.

"I could not help but overhear some of your conversation, and I thought it wise to inform you that it would be foolish, Minerva, to send Miss Bennett back to her old classes. It will change nothing. Those like Miss Faye had free access to the castle, and will continue to walk around it, regardless of whether or not Miss Faye attends normal classes." Snape paused, taking a few steps into the room. "I was under the impression that this school was trying to encourage diversity. Before Miss Bennett joined normal classes, few students even knew that there was a part of this school dedicated to those with disabilities. The change has happened, and it cannot be reversed. Teenagers can be cruel."

McGonagall gaped, clearly disbelieving that the person to come to Faye's defence was Severus Snape of all people. The Potions Master continued.

"I have found Miss Bennett to be a fine student, far more talented in potions than most of those whom you would consider normal, Minerva. It would be a shame to lose someone with this talent simply because of a... misunderstanding. From discussions in the staff room, I am confident that most of Miss Bennett's teachers will agree with me."

Flitwick nodded in agreement, while McGonagall paled.

Dumbledore frowned. "I agree with you Severus, but I cannot overlook what has happened."

"I do not suggest you overlook it, headmaster, but I believe there must be other ways to tackle the situation. Perhaps," Snape paused. "It would be prudent to determine ways that we may better communicate with Miss Bennett? Lack of communication is clearly a major factor here. Perhaps if I were to teach her the art of Legilimency?"

"Preposterous," spluttered McGonagall. "It is against all school rules to teach a student Legilimency. It is a strict violation of other's privacy."

"Perhaps in Miss Bennett's case it would be wise to make an exception?" Dumbledore stated. "Legilimency consists of several different stages of mind manipulation. I believe what Severus is suggesting, is to teach the girl how to speak to others through her mind, entering other's minds only to communicate. Am I correct, Severus?"

Snape nodded. "Were Miss Bennett able to communicate clearly with other students, physical acts such as the one witnessed today could be avoided. After all, without the help of Madame Wilkinson, Miss Bennett has few ways to communicate with other students. Furthermore, through her studies of Legilimency, Miss Bennett will subsequently learn how to use her mind and control her... temper."

"It seems we have reached a decision then." Professor Dumbledore cleared his throat, glancing at Faye. "Miss Bennett, this event will not be repeated, is that clear? Professor Snape will personally teach you Legilimency. You have no choice, I am afraid. Should you choose to forgo these lessons, we will have no choice but to expel you from Hogwarts. You will also receive detention every night for the next two months, including the night of the Yule Ball. Do you understand?"

Faye turned to Miss Wilkinson, who prepared herself for further translation.

*_I accept your offer Professor Dumbledore. Thankyou._*

Madam Wilkinson pattered her gently on the shoulder. She was clearly in shock, and Faye could not blame her, after all, she had probably never expected to have one of her most promising students charged with acts of violence.

"Excellent. Well, I see no point in wasting time," Albus begun. "Tonight you will serve your detention with Severus, and tomorrow morning you will visit Filch who will provide you with a timetable regarding your future detentions." He turned to Severus. "I trust you will decide your own times in regard to Legilimency training?"

"Certainly, headmaster," Snape responded, taking Faye by the arm with such force as to almost lift her from the ground. "I have a great number of dirty cauldrons for you to clean, Miss Bennett." He led her from the room, causing her to jog slightly to keep up with his pace.

The journey toward the dungeons was done in silence, Snape did not utter a single word. After going down many staircases, they finally reached the cold, dark domain of the dungeons. He let go of her wrist, trusting her to follow him the rest of the way. It was not until the doors had closed behind them that Snape chose to speak.

"I admit, I did not see that coming." Snape's lips curled into a tight smirk. "Who would have guessed that such a frail, feeble little Ravenclaw could possess so much power? Two students sent to St Mungo's, and all in just a blink of an eye." Snape strode toward his desk, opening the top draw with a flick of his wand. Papers floated onto the desk's surface.

"You are not the only student who has fought to put those self-righteous Gryffindors back into their rightful place," Snape muttered quietly, with something like – compassion – in his voice. _Not the only student_? What was he insinuating? Was he referring to himself? Faye stayed quiet, somewhat perturbed by her professor's quiet confession.

Severus himself found himself somewhat proud of the Faye Bennett. How could he blame her? He had endured bullying throughout his school career, been the brunt of jokes, the victim of a system seemingly designed to benefit only those clad in red and gold. He could not blame her for her actions. Going through humiliation, pain and loneliness every day was enough to drive anyone mad.

"With that said, Miss Bennett, I believe it would be wise to start your punishment." He pointed to a large pile of dirty cauldrons. "You will not use magic. I want to see my face in those cauldrons. Make them shine."

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><p>Oooh! Who says the quiet ones are always the passive and non violent ones? Don't judge people on the outside just yet, Faye has some anger she clearly had builded up for quite some time!<p>

Please! Let me hear your thoughts on it so far! Hope you'll take a few seconds of your life to leave a review and let me know what you think! thanks!

Next chapter will luckily be up pretty soon! :) Have a good one!

Once more a little notice to my friends Emily and Louise! A huge thanks for their betaing and ideas! thanks!


	8. A Deeper Connection

**AN: ALRIGHT. Please read my AN before continuing.** I thank you all so much for reviewing my story! You shall know that I REALLY appriciate it. Since I am not of english origin and has decided to write ffics anyway then it means a lot when I hear your feedback so please please! continue leaving reviews!

Also, I thank Louise for betaing this chapter so thoroughly, she's one of the great reasons for why I am intrigued to continue and develop my writing skills! I had so much fun doing this chapter! And I truly hope you all enjoy reading it as well!

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><p><strong>Chapter 7 - A Deeper Connection<strong>

He thought.

What would become of him? Had he lost his mind?

Once more, the hand of the great Potions Master wrapped around the bottle, tipping the fiery amber liquid into the clear glass before him. He had lost track of the many times he had done so. Was this his third? His fourth? He looked at the bottle – half empty. No, he must have had more. The bottle had been unopened mere hours before.

His body was encircled with warm, head spinning from the amount of alcohol he had consumed. It was a warning, telling him to stop. Yet his tongue, his taste buds, craved another meeting with the fiery substance. His eyes fell to the half-empty glass. Silently, sinfully he yearned for it, and the firewhisky, though inanimate, would ultimately heed the call. Gently, he tilted the glass to his lips, delivering one lover to the other. They kissed. He swallowed. Once more the burning alcohol seered through his body, spreading warmth to his limbs.

He thought.

Why did he have _this_ dream?

He could not help but relive it. The sanctity of his dreams invaded by a certain dark-haired witch. Faye. She had kissed him, passionately, and he had enjoyed it. Her tight limbs felt soft beneath his palms as he brushed his fingertips over every inch of her body. She appeared a being of startling, impromptu, innocent lasciviousness. Straddling his hips, his length buried deep within her, she began her slow, intimidate rhythmic dance.

The view itself had been a treat to his eyes. He knew it was not a mere imagining of how he thought her body would appear. It was a clear picture of her figure, how he remembered it from their impromptu meeting at the lake.

That smooth, delicate, innocent body.

He remembered her heavy, silent breathing. It had been a relatively silent exchange, broken by his own occasional growl or moan, the squeaking of the bed, the occasional ragged breath, the slide of skin against skin, the noises of pure carnal intimacy. Even overwhelmed by pleasure, she did not utter a single sound. He had yet to decide whether he thought this was a shame or if it aroused him. In a way, he wished to hear delicate female moans, an indication that she was enjoying this as much as he.

Severus shook his head, smothering his thoughts with yet another sip of whisky. He was embarrassed, thinking in such a way about a student. Not just once, either, but _several _times. It was disgraceful.

But then he would remember her inner walls contracting around his length, squeezing from him a blinding climax. Sharp fingernails dug deep into his chest, leaving red scores across pale flesh. He was sure he could almost _hear_ their bodies singing in unison.

He had awoken from this dream, overwhelmed by a pressing need unlike anything he had previously experienced. The prominent jut of his erection, the damp spot on his dark green sleep pants, made him feel like a hormonal teenager. Tiredly, he rubbed his forehead, glancing at the clock. Two o'clock. The dream had felt so real, unlike any dream he had experienced before. He could steel feel the tingling in his crotch, thirty minutes after he awoke from slumber.

He sighed. Deeply.

It was at this moment he extracted himself from his bed, lit a white candle and opened a new bottle of fire whisky, sitting upon his favourite leather chair. It was a balm in difficult times: not that this had been difficult, merely arousing and annoying.

Severus' interrupted the direction of his thoughts by swallowing yet another mouthful of the whisky, revelling in the sensation of it on his tongue.

Strangely enough, the odd assortment of emotions raging through him had little to do with the intimacy of their dream-bound contact. Rather, it concerned what had happened before the steamy, sexual encounter.

He began the dream in her common room, where she had been sitting on the edge of her bed. He noticed how her blue eyes were clouded with tears, yet she was too proud to let them fall. As he watched her, he caught the sound of an oddly familiar song, though he could not place where he had heard it before. It was beautiful, although void of lyrics. What was it? A lullaby perhaps that he had heard with half an ear?

As his eyes searched deeper, he discovered something beneath her gaze, something within her _mind_. A young girl, standing beside a muggle telephone, crying for help. But no one heard her. Her little white dress was smeared with dark blood that did not seem to be her own. The vision became blurry. Confused and unclear as to what had happened, he had spoken to Faye, shaken her, desperate to know what had happened, what he had _seen_. She_ could_ not confront him. She _could _not tell him what was wrong. The tears began streaming down her face and she gasped as she wept. He could tell by the look in her eyes that something within her had burst, something she kept buried. The desperation in her gaze told him that she _wanted _to tell him what was wrong, it nagged at her. It was something personal, something private. Could it be something from her past? Maybe even her present?

He had hugged her tightly, then, holding her tiny body close to his, caressing her hair, kissing her cheek. Her tears had touched him in such a manner he had not remembered since he had seen them falling from his lost love. Severus was _concerned_. He _cared _for her, about what was troubling her. _This_ is what had been troubling him. Why did he even care? Was he truly growing feelings for this insolent witch? How could he feel anything at all for someone he barely knew?

It was for this reason he turned to the comfort of fire whisky. True enough, it was nothing but a dream, but even still he had a strange feeling that those tears had been shed before, perhaps when he had not been present?

He shook his head. Why was he even thinking about that? It was, after all, curiosity that killed the cat. He refilled his glass, trying to convince himself that he simply did not give a damn about her.

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><p>By the time Severus woke later that morning, he was aware that his attempts for further sleep had not panned out the way he wanted. He was at war with his inner self, fighting to regain consciousness. His vision was fuzzy, blinded by an alcoholic haze, his head pounding and his eyes red.<p>

Slowly, he sat up in his large empty bed, head throbbing. Swinging his legs to the side, he planted his feet firmly on the ground, wondering if they would take his weight. His back cracked, pain rippled. Utterly a deep sigh, he headed toward his private bathroom. He undressed, quickly and without thought, slipping under the cold jets of his shower. It was soothing and refreshing, a balm against his immense hangover. He felt like could breathe properly again. Leaning back, he parted his lips, collecting the cool liquid in his mouth. He could spit or swallow, he chose to spit.

He beckoned with long fingers, the bar of white soap on the floor flying into his hands. Turning off the water, he began to lather the soap over his body, paying little attention until –

He stopped.

As the soap brushed against his chest, he felt a strange stinging. He turned his blurry gaze towards the expanse of skin. Red markings scored the flesh. He rubbed his eyes, his initial reaction utter disbelief. The markings matched those gouged by Faye's nails during the dream. How was that even possible. It was a dream, right?

Confused, he rinsed himself off and stepped from the shower. Grabbing a dark green towel from a nearby chair, he patted away the droplets of water before wrapping it neatly around his chest. Severus was a man of order: his coal black trousers and frock-coat folded neatly on the same stool, while the long black robes hung lifeless on a hook just above. Glancing in the bathroom mirror he took in the pallid complexion, the exhaustion, the frown, the empty black eyes tinted with disbelief. The years had not been kind to him.

It was not like he cared. His concerns had never fell on his looks, for there were far too many worries in his life. He was turning thirty next January, he was amazed he had even made it that far.

Rubbing his face, he felt the brush of stubble against his fingers. It took him a minute or two to decide whether it was worth shaving.

He did not.

It was Sunday, after all, and all he had planned for the day was to recover from his night of drinking. Perhaps he would use his foul mood to mark a few essays? The only reason he would leave his room was to eat, but not even that seemed appealing.

Nevertheless, he brushed his teeth, glancing at the marks on his torso once more. It was unusual, to say the least. Shaking his head, he dressed efficiently, fastening every button of his coat by hand.

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><p>By the time he arrived in the Great Hall for breakfast, he immediately regretted his decision, pushing the food around on his place. He did not feel that he could stomach food, the effects of the night before brewing uncomfortably in his stomach. Closing his eyes, he dragged pale fingers through his dark locks, trying to cut out the endless drone of students, of scraping plates and feeding humans. He almost succeeded.<p>

His peace did not last long. A noise, once muffled, became sharper and clearer.

"Severus! Severus? Can you hear me?"

Opening his eyes, Severus glanced at Minerva McGonagall who was wiping the edges of her mouth with a napkin.

"Loud and clear," he growled faintly.

Her eyes gave away everything even before she spoke. She was going to ask him a favour.

"Filius was wondering if you would be able to take Miss Bennett's detention today. Perhaps you could even continue with your Occlumency lessons? I know this is a lot to ask on a Sunday, but-"

How predictable. "I suppose it would be no problem," he interrupted.

_I might as well get something useful out of my Sunday_, he thought to himself, though in reality he wished the lessons did not interfere with his recovery time. On the other hand, additional time with Miss Bennett might not be such a bad thing...

"Thank you Severus. I know Filch was meant to be taking her detention today, but you know how he is, setting detentions all over the place. He's taking a group of students into the Forbidden Forest instead. I would have taken it myself, but that would mean rescheduling my Tuesday lesson..."

Severus scowled, trying to cut out Minerva's Sunday morning dribble. "It's fine, Minerva," he mumbled, closing the conversation, returning his concentration to the unrecognisable eggs and pumpkin bread on his plate. His appetite was now non-existent.

His gaze turned instead to the Ravenclaw table. Where was she?

He found her eventually, perched at the end of the long table. Her nose was buried in a book, an abandoned plate of food at her side. She seemed lonely, solitary, her back turned to the forthcoming students. Without doubt she missed her friends during meals. _These_ students had to eat when all the others had left; a course of action suggested by a group of stubborn parents several years before. They had claimed they did not want their children eating at the same time as those who could 'barely handle a fork on their own'. It was an exaggeration, of course. Only a few of the students had such severe disabilities.

It was as though she could sense his gaze, glancing up from her book. Their eyes met, gaze piercing from a distance.

He was unsure of the expression on her face. It was as though she were puzzled, confused, trying to recollect something. Could it be that she experienced the same dream as him? Severus rolled his eyes. _Don't be absurd_, he chastised himself. He had spent his life surrounded by magic, but never heard of someone literally experiencing a dream, receiving scars. Even if it were possible, it would be placed in the divination or paranormal corner – two subjects he cared very little for, even as a student at Hogwarts.

He noticed Faye throw him a faint smile, lips parting to reveal a hint of teeth. Her large front teeth were prominent, but he found them strangely flattering.

He swept from the hall, catching this stray thought as though he were a lion hunting prey. It simply _wasn't_ appropriate.

The door to the dungeon squeaked as he stepped into the dimly lit room. He was met by the comfortable ominous glow, cast by the dull candles reflecting upon the various jars lining the walls. The pungent aroma of formally brewed potions hung heavily in the air. He inhaled deeply, allowing the familiarity to cast away further thoughts of the previous night's dream.

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><p>"Keep your mind clear, Miss Bennett," Snape spat as he entered the classroom. His billowing robes flapped as he swept past Faye, giving the impression of a large bat in flight.<p>

His gaze darkened upon noting her chosen position. She had seated herself upon one of the desks mere minutes before his entrance.

"Get off the desk," he snarled. "Just because it is the weekend does not mean you can forgo simple manners, Miss Bennett."

She slipped from the desk, sitting reluctantly on a worn stool. Snape watched her intently, trying to wash away the mental image of those same hips straddling him the night before.

The unwanted memory of the previous night's dream caused him to feel uncomfortably aroused, the beast roused from its nest, impatient from many years of neglect. Out of the corner of his eye, he observed Faye pushing aside her thick dark hair, revealing her long, slender neck. Oh how he wanted to kiss it, nibble it. Just the thought caused his pants to tighten further, his arousal yearning from freedom after so long incarcerated within its malodorous prison. He noticed the slow motion of Faye's chest heaving in a vast sigh. It was fuel to his arousal. Quickly, Severus turned. He felt anger, disgusted even, allowing his arousal to control him, to have so much power.

_Pathetic_, he thought.

He grinded his teeth, silently commanding the fiend of arousal to back away. Reluctantly the beast behaved, retreating to its dark and lonesome nest.

Good chap.

Five minutes passed and Snape neither spoke or started his lesson. Impatient, she crossed her arms, raising her brows as he turned to face her.

"Cease the cocky attitude," he growled, staggering toward her desk.

Faye backed away, immediately hit by the stench of alcohol on his breath. She found herself covering her nose slightly. She almost smirked. Poor man. His bloodshot eyes and the shadow of stubble were clear enough indicators that her staunch professor was suffering a hangover.

"Wipe that atrocious smirk off your face," Snape shot, his eyes darker now. "Let's try to make this session slightly more successful than the last one, shall we?"

He shot his wand toward the chalkboard. Notes started to appear. "Copy them down," he sneered.

Faye pulled out some parchment and a quill, copying down the notes as quickly as possible. He watched, his expression unreadable, before finally speaking once more.

"Tell me, Miss Bennett, what is Legilimency not to be known as?"

Grabbing her quill, she quickly answered. _Mind reading. It is a simple and poor term to use._

"Correct." Well, at least she had remembered that much. Snape had spent almost their entire last meeting discussing the reasons why "mind reading" was a term not to be used in his presence.

"Today, we will practice actually using Legilimency," Snape began, "but first: there are four layers of the human mind. What are they Miss Bennett?"

Faye scribbled manically. _The superficial, the general, the interior and the subconscious, sir_.

Snape nodded. "Describe them too me."

Faye hesitated before putting quill to paper.

_The superficial refers to the layer of the mind that allows one to read another person's thoughts and place your own thoughts in their head: a form of communication. The general is the layer that allows you to interfere with the other person's emotions, in order to sense how the person feels and thinks. The interior is where you penetrate through the individual's memories, good and bad. The subconscious refers to the level where it gets dangerous for the 'victim', where the legilimens is able to control the mind and actions of the other._

"Very good, Miss Bennett." Snape was impressed. Evidently she _was_ listening. "Five points to Ravenclaw for your precise definitions.

"Now, let us move to the actual practice. As we are not technically allowed to teach this at Hogwarts, due to the restricted privacy of individuals, I will only teach you to enter the _superficial_ layer of the mind. Once you have mastered this, you will be able to communicate with anyone, anywhere in the castle. In order to succeed, you must clear your mind of all excess thought. Be aware, this is a two way street, Miss Bennett. Any thoughts floating around in your mind will transfer to those you are trying to communicate with. Now stand."

Faye stood, wishing that she had been allowed to take at least a few notes.

*Once you are proficient enough, you will no longer require your wand.*

Faye uttered a silent gasp. Though she could hear his words clear in her mind, she had not seen his lips move. She found herself impressed, and disturbed, at how easily he had invaded her mind.

"It is as easy as tying your shoelaces," he vocalised. "Now, take out your wand."

She did.

"Remember to clear your mind. Thoughts, emotions are mere clouds. Pick one cloud – what you want to say to me – and send only that."

Faye closed her eyes to concentrate, willing her thought to transfer. She pointed her wand at Snape.

Failure.

Failure after failure. Snape rubbed his temples, attempting to remain calm. Evidently Faye's proficiency at her other subjects did not extent to legilimency. She was a truly hopeless case.

"Control your thoughts, push them away, _clear your mind_," he snapped, taking a deep breath. "Try again."

Faye combed her fingers through her locks in frustration. It was past lunch and Snape had kept her imprisoned for hours.

The movement of her hair from her shoulders drew Severus' attention to a small mark on her neck. In the dream he had been suckling and nibbling that very spot. It had the same reddish colour to it. He shivered.

"You are dismissed, Miss Bennett," he spat. "I would suggest being quick if you want to catch lunch."

He took her arm, dragging the perplexed student to the door.

"I will see you at four o'clock sharp for detention. Tardiness will not be tolerated."

The door shut.

He waited.

Finally the clip of heels against stone became distant.

He sighed, turning from the door, gazing into the empty classroom as his mind raced with his discovery.

How was this even possible?

* * *

><p>Uhhh! ~ I asure you, you will get a reason and much more in the next chapter! I really hope you enjoyed this! Thanks so much to all my supporters and a special thanks to the girls on the Fb Muffliato group! Thank you!<p>

PWETTY PWEASE leave a review if you want to see this story continued! It means a lot! :)


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